MRS Property Match Report Round 3: vs Port Adelaide

MRS Property Match Report

South Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
Round 3 - Flinders University Stadium - 17/04/21

Goals: Fitt, Skinner 3, Tarca 2, Biemans, Gibbs
Best: Broadbent, Gibbs, Fitt, Rose, Summerton, Loneragan

The latest chapter from the oldest rivalry in SANFL football sees South Adelaide win an arm wrestle against Port Adelaide by nine points at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday.

The unbeaten Panthers, who trailed at every break, were forced to overcome and withstand an AFL laden Port Magpies outfit to win, 12.9 (81) to 10.12 (72).

South Adelaide was well-supplied by Mathew Broadbent, who finished with 28 touches and 8 marks. Bryce Gibbs was also impressive as he finished with 25 disposals and 6 clearances, as was Mitch O'Neill who collected 22 disposals.

The ladder leading Panthers came into the match with just one change, while the Power Reserves had been bolstered by the addition of Tom Rockliff and Sam Powell-Pepper. 

But despite the AFL talent on offer for Port and the forward talent of the Panthers, the two sides combined for just seven behinds during the first twenty minutes of the opening term.

The first goal of the match came via Port at the twentieth minute mark, at which South Adelaide almost instantly replied to thanks to a goal from Sam Skinner.

Trailing 1.2 (8) to 2.5 (17) at the first change, the Panthers managed to bring the lead to within a kick when Jake Tarca opened the scoring during the second term.

However, this would be the last goal in the blue and whites favour for some time, as the Magpies threatened to run away with the game on the back of two early goals.

Skinner managed to steady the side with his second goal of the game just before stoppage time, while Jake Summerton turned heads and helped the Panthers bring the lead to within striking distance with a rare goal of his own.

This brought the deficit down to 4.4 (28) to 4.7 (31) at halftime, but facing off against thirteen AFL listed players it wasn't going to be easy to brush the Magpies aside and take the lead.

Liam Fitt added to his goal tally with his first of the day after just forty seconds of play, but the Magpies impressive midfield four continued to dictate the play around the centre bounces. 

After repeated Port behinds the Panthers backline, who were well-supplied through Matt Rose and Joe Haines, managed to rebound the ball and it eventually fell into the hands of Hayden Sampson who dodged an opponent before snapping a much-needed goal.

Tarca then marked the ball on the line but it was denied, allowing Port to rebound as well but thankfully they missed the target.

The game was showcasing rebounding football at its best, as following this behind the Panthers once again rebounded and this time Fitt caught an opponent holding the ball which allowed him to go back and drill his second major of the quarter.

However, Port once again threatened to run away with the lead after kicking back-to-back goals.

Ironically however, the AFL Reserves side had a momentary lapse in concentration as their runner came within the 50m arc while Fitt was lining up for goal, allowing him a shot dead in front for his third of the quarter which cut the deficit to 8.6 (54) to 8.10 (58) in the process. 

The final term began with another Port forward entry as the Power Reserves were well-supplied through the middle by Rockliff, who would finish the game with 41 disposals.

Yet this forward entry was cut off by Summerton, and the Panthers rebounded quickly out of defence. The ball would eventually fall into the hands of Tarca, who drilled from a fair way out to give South the lead.

This then resulted in a shoot out between the two rivals, with Port and the Panthers both trading blows throughout the final term. Midway through the term, Skinner kicked his third of the match, but minutes later Port replied to take the lead again.

Then, as had been the theme for most of the night, the Panthers rebounded out of defence as Broadbent, Gibbs and Jason Horne liked up through the middle before hitting up Anthony Biemans who marked with the flight of the ball. 

Showing his composure, Bemo went back and drilled the goal to give the Panthers the lead just minutes before stoppage time.

South Adelaide desperately pushed to get a consecutive goal to ease the arm wrestle, and after a stoppage inside the forward 50, Gibbs collected the ball and snapped a goal to answer the prayers of the Panther faithful.

What followed was extremely tense football, as the Panthers were forced to hold off a relentless Port outfit.

Just as the match entered stoppage time, James Lonergan collected the bouncing ball at half back before kicking a perfect left-footed pass to help clear the pressure.

Then, 25 minutes into the final term, Hayden Sampson chased down an opponent on the wing but extremely stiffly was labelled as hanging on-which allowed Port to go inside 50 and have a shot dead in front.

Luckily, the footy gods must have been smiling on the Panthers as they missed, and the siren would sound just a few stressful minutes later to signal the 12.9 (81) to 10.12 (72) win and prove that, after 145 years, the rivalry is still alive.

South Adelaide will look to continue their winning streak as they face off against Sturt at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday, April 24, from 3:05pm.